Legacy
by AvatarxFrozen
Summary: Join Tenzin, Avatar Aang's son, as he learns of his destiny and strives to fulfill it. On this journey of self-discovery, he also learns what is most important in the end: family.
1. Chapter 1

"Well, what do we have here?" An older boy approached Tenzin, grinning. Behind the boy, three other boys laughed. "It's the whittle airbender."

Tenzin backed away, a trickle of sweat running down his nose. The boy continued to follow, and suddenly scooped him up and held him upside down by an ankle.

"Put me down!" He yelled, struggling to try and loosen the boy's grip.

"Oh, you want me to put you down? Okay. I know the perfect spot."

He carried him to mud puddle a few feet away and let him dangle over it for a few seconds before releasing him. Tenzin yelped, then fell into the puddle with a splash. The boys burst out laughing, and Tenzin glared at them, trying to stop the tears that were running freely down his face, leaving a trail in the mud that had spattered there.

While they were busy laughing, Tenzin jumped up and ran to the nearest tree. After five seconds, they realized he had gone, and took off after him. When Tenzin reached the tree, he airbent himself up to the closest branch and climbed up the tree to the next one before he looked down. The boys were at the bottom, shouting and waving their fists at him.

After ten minutes, the boys left, and Tenzin stayed on his branch, too afraid to come down. After a while, he began to shiver, his teeth chattering. He was wet, muddy, and miserable. He should be at home now, eating dinner, and talking about his day. Yet here he was, stuck in a tree.

Suddenly, he heard someone calling him.

"Tenzin!"

He immediately recognized his older sister Kya's voice, and answered. "Kya, I'm over here!"

Kya followed her brother's voice to the tree and looked up to find Tenzin perched on his branch. Tenzin jumped down beside her. She looked him over in shock.

"What in the world happened to you?"

"Some boys dropped me in the mud."

Kya frowned. "Why?"

Tenzin shrugged and took Kya's hand, and together, they walked to City Hall.

When they arrived, they found the rest of their family already there. The adults were huddled together in deep discussion. The kids were running around them, laughing and squealing. Bumi was the first to spot his brother and sister.

"Hey! What happened to you?" He yelled to them. Everyone stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at them, adults and kids alike.

Tenzin, embarrassed by all the staring, tried to hide behind his sister.

Katara approached her two children with a determined expression that scared Tenzin some. Whenever his mother wore it, it meant someone was bound to be in trouble. He just hoped it wasn't him.

When Katara reached them, Kya stepped out of the way so Katara could see Tenzin clearly. She looked him over with a troubled expression.

"What happened to you?"

Tenzin stared at the ground and didn't reply. His mother then turned to Kya.

"Did he say anything to you?"

Kya looked at her brother for a few moments, then turned to her mother. "He said some older boys dropped him in a mud puddle."

Katara pursed her lips and looked at Tenzin again before turning back to Kya. "Did he say why?"

Kya shook her head.

"Where did you find him?"

"Up a tree."

Katara turned back to her son. Tenzin avoided her gaze, knowing that if he looked into them, he would have a harder time staying quiet.

"All right," Katara said with a sigh. "We'll discuss this tonight when your father gets home."

Tenzin cringed. He didn't want to tell his father what had happened; he didn't want him to think he was weak.


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to Chapter 2! I'm working on establishing a set system, I've just kind of had a rough start. Anyway, here we go! Feel free to review, it will be much appreciated!**

After he had cleaned up, Tenzin spent most of the evening in his room, away from the rest of his family. His dad wasn't home yet, so he was still nervous and scared. He only left his room when his mother called them down for dinner. While he was down there, he sat and looked at the floor. He didn't talk, didn't really do anything. He just sat there until his mother let him go back to his room.

Katara was worried. Tenzin didn't talk much anyway, but getting him to eat was never a problem. He was a growing boy, and also very obedient, so when he ignored her and didn't eat, she began to worry that the situation was worse than she thought. So, when dinner was done, she sent her other two children about their business, much to their surprise. They were usually required to help clean up. But, they seemed to sense something was wrong, so they left with no arguments or discussion.

Katara started to clean up, so deep in thought she didn't notice Aang come up behind her. He put his arms around her waist. She gasped and jumped, dropping the wet plate she was holding on the floor. Aang burst out laughing and stepped back. Katara turned and glared at him, trying to hide a smile.

"That is not funny."

"Yes, it is!" Aang replied, still laughing.

Katara smiled and threw the wet rag she was holding at him. Then she bent down and picked up the plate.

"You need to talk to Tenzin."

"About what?" he asked, still smiling.

"Something happened today."

The smile fell off his face. "What happened?"

"Apparently, some older boys dropped him in some mud. I guess he ran up a tree, because that's where Kya found him. When I first saw him, he was covered in mud and soaked to the skin."

Aang frowned. "Yeah, I'll talk to him."

"I just worry about him."

Aang hugged her gently. "I know; I do, too."

He let go of her and walked upstairs and down the hall until he was standing in front of his youngest son's door. He took a breath and knocked on the door.

Inside his room, Tenzin was sprawled out on his bed, deep in thought. Suddenly, he heard a light knock on his door. Then, a second later, a very familiar voice.

"Tenzin?"

Tenzin shot up. His dad! His mother must have already talked to him.

"Hey, Tenzin, can I come in?"

He gulped. "Sure."

Aang opened the door and walked in. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"So, what happened today, bud?

Tenzin looked away from him.

"Nothing."

Aang sighed. "Come on, I know you're lying to me."

Tenzin didn't reply.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, back turned to him.

Aang sighed, stood up, and left without another word.

After his father was gone, a few tears slid down Tenzin's face. He hated lying, especially to his father. He hated pushing him away and keeping him in the dark, but he couldn't see another way.

Aang walked downstairs and outside. After a few minutes, Katara joined him.

"Did he say anything?" she asked.

Aang shook his head. "Nothing that was true, anyway."

"So, what?" Katara said, confused. "He lied to you?"

Aang nodded solemnly. He was actually a little hurt.

"He's keeping me in the dark." He sighed. "I just thought our relationship was better than this."


	3. Chapter 3

**Here is Chapter 3. Sorry, it's kind of short, but hey, at least it's something. So, remember, reviews welcome and appreciated. On to the story!**

That night, Tenzin couldn't fall asleep. So about midnight, he climbed out his window and airbent himself up onto the roof. He sat in the moonlight, hugging his knees. A slight breeze was blowing, tugging lightly on his robes. For a few minutes, he stayed put, lost in his thoughts. Then after about ten minutes, his older brother Bumi climbed up with him.

"Hey, Tenzy." he smirked. "Past your bedtime, isn't it?"

Tenzin merely replied by rolling his eyes.

"Seriously," Bumi said, taking a seat beside his brother. "What's up?"

"Nothing." he muttered, looking away.

Bumi snorted. "Please! You're about as good a liar as Kya!"

Tenzin sighed. "Did Kya tell you what happened?"

"She said some jerks dropped you in the mud." he said, frowning.

"Yeah. Mom and Dad want me to give details, but I just...can't." Tenzin sighed. "And I think I really hurt them, especially Dad."

Bumi didn't reply. He just frowned thoughtfully.

"I didn't mean to hurt them." Tenzin continued, his voice shaking, a tear gliding down his cheek. "I never wanted to." He shook his head, tears falling freely. "Oh, Bumi, what do I do?"

Bumi stared at his little brother sadly. "I don't know what to tell you, T. The only thing I can think of doing is telling them the truth."

Tenzin was so shocked, he could only stare.

Bumi laughed. "I know, I know. Not like me, huh?"

Tenzin nodded.

Bumi sighed. "Look, I know I don't act like I care a lot of the time, but I really do. You're my little brother. I'm supposed to look out for you."

Tenzin smiled as Bumi put a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Bumi."

"I know you can figure this out." Bumi said as he stood up. "You're a smart kid. You'll find a way."

And with that, Bumi left, leaving Tenzin on the roof to ponder what he said.


	4. Chapter 4

**And here we are to chapter 4! Again, I apologize for the short length, but like I said last time, something's better than nothing. Reviews and feedback welcome and appreciated.**

The next morning, Tenzin made his way downstairs groggily. He had managed to get some sleep when he came back inside, but not much. He was exhausted.

He stumbled into the kitchen and sat down, laying his head on the table. Bumi and Kya stared at him sympathetically. They turned their gazes away, however, when their parents walked in. Katara passed the food around silently. During the whole meal, nobody spoke. Kya and Bumi would occasionally glance at their brother and parents, but Aang and Katara focused on their food. Both of them looked as if they hadn't slept well, and in truth, they hadn't. Neither of them could, as hard as they tried, fall asleep.

They finished their meals and went their separate ways. Tenzin expected his father to take him outside to train, but instead, Aang went to his study, shutting the door firmly behind him. Tenzin sighed and went out alone.

He stood before the spinning gates and took a deep breath. He began to bend the air currents around him, and sent them blowing at the gates. The gates began to spin quickly. Tenzin easily glided in and began to make his way through.

Soon, though, his pent up emotions threw him off balance, and he misplaced himself. A gate whacked him harshly and sent him banging against other gates until he was flung out of the circle of gates.

He landed on his back hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Tenzin remained there, gasping, until he could breathe normally again. Then, he sat up. He cringed as a sharp pain shot through his head. He stood up and wobbled around for a minute before he fell back over. This time, he didn't try to get up; he remained laying down, and eventually drifted off to sleep.

"Tenzin?"

He stirred lightly, but didn't get up.

His mother crouched down next to him.

"Tenzin, honey?"

He groaned, but didn't open his eyes. Katara sighed and picked him up, cradling him in her arms like an infant. She carried him inside and walked to her husband's study. She knocked on the door lightly once, then walked in.

Aang looked up from his papers to see his youngest son, who was dusty and had bruises and cuts, cradled in his wife's arms, unconscious. Stunned, he jumped up and rushed to her side.

"What happened? Is he okay?"

"Relax," Katara soothed. "He's asleep, and just a little beat up."

"Where was he?"

"By the spinning gates."

Aang frowned. "Well, that explains the injuries. He tried to go through."

Katara frowned. "I thought he could go through them with ease."

"Under normal circumstances, yes, he is very capable. However, his emotional turmoil must have thrown him off balance."

They both watched him sleep for a moment. Katara sighed.

"What is he hiding from us?"

Aang shook his head sadly. "I wish I knew. I would take away his pain if I could." He set a hand on Tenzin's head.

"Well, I'll go put him to bed and let him sleep for a while. Then later, I will bring him some soup or something and see if I can't heal him up some."

She turned and walked out, leaving Aang alone in the room. He watched her go with a sad expression. Then, he sat back down at his desk and leaned on it, putting his head in his hands.

"What am I doing wrong?" he muttered.

Katara walked into Tenzin's bedroom and gently set him down on his bed and covered him up. She sat down beside him, on the edge of the bed, and stroked his cheek with her fingers.

She still considered Tenzin to be her baby, even though he didn't like it when she called him that. She wanted to just hold him and protect him from the world, but she knew she couldn't. How else would he learn?

She sighed, stood up, and began to walk out. Then, she heard Tenzin's little voice.

"Mom?"

She turned. "Yes?"

He stared and, much to her amazement, began to cry. "I'm sorry." he whimpered, tears flowing now.

"Oh, Tenzin." she walked back to his bed and sat down. She opened her arms to him. He sniffed, and crawled into her lap, and cuddled into her. She held him close, and, out of habit, began to rock him. "It's alright."

He sniffed again and shook his head. "No, it's not."

"Why don't you talk to me about it?" she said gently.

He nodded and rubbed his eyes. "Okay.


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, Chapter 5. So much for being consistent with updates. My apologies everyone. Anyway, here we go.**

Katara left the room quietly, softly shutting the door behind her. She leaned against the wall by the door for a second. She let a single tear escape and run down her face. Then, with another check in Tenzin's room to find him sleeping, she walked down the hall, down the stairs, and into the kitchen. She got a cup of water and drained it slowly. She set it down, deep in thought. She knew she had to tell Aang, but what was she going to say?

She sighed and brushed her hair out of her face. Guess she wouldn't know until she was facing him. She turned and left the kitchen. She walked down the hall to the door that led to Aang's study. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then she opened the door and walked in.

"Aang, we need to talk." she said as she entered, closed the door, and walked briskly to his desk.

He looked up from his paperwork.

"About what?" he asked wearily.

"I just had a long talk with Tenzin."

His eyes widened. He stood up and walked around his desk until he came to her. He lightly put his hands on her shoulders.

"What did he say?"

She sighed. "He said that he's picked on all the time, but he never bothers to tell us. They call him all kinds of all awful names, and tell him-"

She paused, trying to get a hold of her emotions.

"Tell him what?" Aang said gently, encouraging her to continue.

"They tell him that he's a spoiled brat, and that he'll never be like you."

The pained look on Aang's face pushed her over the edge. She broke down in sobs and leaned into him, hiding her face in his robes and muffling her sobs. It broke her heart to see her baby hurting, and seeing her husband hurt wasn't any better.

Aang wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in her hair, letting a few tears of his own escape. He also felt pain in hearing of his son's troubles. It seemed that, already, people expected him to live up to his father's legacy. He was so young, and already, the burden of being one of the last Airbenders and the Avatar's son was resting on his shoulders. It was so unfair to the poor boy.

Aang sighed and released his wife. He took her hands in his.

"I'll go talk to him." he assured her. "We'll get him through this mess."

Katara nodded, but looked at the floor. Aang released one of her hands and gently tilted her head up.

"Everything's going to be okay."

She gave him a tiny smile. "I know."

Aang bent down and gave her a quick kiss, then released her. He left his study and walked down the hall to the bottom of the stairs. There, he found Kya and Bumi in a deep conversation.

"Hey, Dad." Bumi muttered. Both Bumi and Kya looked sad. They weren't acting like themselves. He knew Kya wasn't as crazy as her brother, but she still had a decent amount of energy, while Bumi had about as much as his two siblings combined.

"Hey," he said. He took a seat by them. "What's wrong with you two?"

They glanced at each other, then looked back to him.

"Daddy?" Kya asked timidly, "Is Tenzin going to be okay?"

The two siblings stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"So, you two are worried about Tenzin?" He was a little surprised. The two siblings resented their little brother, and weren't shy about showing it. Kya was certainly a little more sympathetic towards Tenzin, but he didn't realize just how much. And Bumi, he wasn't exactly close with his little brother.

In response, they nodded. "He's so sad all the time now." Bumi said. Then he frowned. "I don't like it."

Aang sighed and beckoned his two children closer to him.

"Look," he said. "I'm going to go talk to him. We'll get him out of this mess."

The two siblings smiled at each other in relief.

"But," Aang continued. "I'm going to need you two to help me."

"How?" Kya asked.

"You two are his older siblings. You're job is to protect him, and help him through these hard times. Take care of him. Make him feel loved. Can you two do that?"

They both nodded. Bumi, somewhat hesitantly. He didn't like his dad using the "l" word when referring to his relationship with his siblings.

Aang smiled. "Good."

He pulled his two older children into a hug. Then he released them.

"I need to go talk to your brother."

He turned and began to walk up the stairs. Then, he turned around.

"Oh, and I'm really proud of you two. Tenzin would be touched to know how much his siblings care for him,"

He smiled at them once more before turning and going up the stairs.

Kya and Bumi smiled at each other. Maybe everything would be alright after all.


	6. Chapter 6

Aang approached Tenzin's room and quietly opened the door and peeked in. Tenzin was asleep on his bed, and, thanks to his mother, looked a lot better than he did before.

Aang slid in, and gently shut the door. He walked over to Tenzin's bed and took a seat beside him. As he watched his child sleep, dozens of happy memories flowed through his mind: the day Tenzin was born, the day they discovered he was an airbender, their training sessions... such wonderful memories that made him smile.

Then, Tenzin began to move. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and looked at him groggily.

"Dad?" he said softly.

Aang smiled. "Hey, bud."

"What're you doing in here?"

The smile fell off Aang's face. "Son, we need to talk."

Tenzin sighed. "Mama told you, didn't she?"

"Yeah," Aang replied. "She told me a little about what you told her, but she didn't tell me everything."

Tenzin didn't reply; he merely stared at the sheets.

"Tenzin, I need to know."

Tenzin sighed, and gave in. "Fine. She told you what they do to me, right?"

Aang nodded, a frown on his face.

"Yeah. They don't say nice things to you, do they?"

Tenzin shook his head, but, once again, didn't meet his gaze.

"Tenzin, what are you hiding?" Aang asked. He knew his son well, and could tell he was hiding something.

When Tenzin didn't reply, he reached out and pulled his young son onto his lap.

"Come on, bud," he prodded. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Well," Tenzin said hesitantly, "I didn't tell Mama this."

"Why?"

"It would make her sad."

Aang sighed. "Well, we need to know so we can help you. Your mama's very strong; I think she could handle it. Will you tell me?"

Tenzin squirmed uncomfortably, but he nodded. He swallowed, then began to speak, all the while staring at his robes and fiddling with them.

"Sometimes, they beat me up. It hurts."

Aang gave a small gasp. "What?! Tenzin, why didn't you tell us?"

Tenzin finally looked up at him. Aang cringed internally when he saw the tears that were now on his face.

"I didn't want you to worry." he said softly. "I also wanted to prove I could be brave and strong, like you."

"Oh, Tenzin." Aang pulled him into a hug. Tenzin buried his face in his father's robes and began to sob. Aang held him tightly.

"Son, it's okay to be afraid. But just because you're afraid doesn't mean you're not brave and strong. You're one of the bravest, strongest kids I know."

Aang pulled him back so he could see Tenzin's face. Tenzin rubbed his eyes with his sleeve.

"You can tell us anything. We love you, Tenzin. We want to help you. We won't think you're weak if you tell us. You don't have to go through things by yourself. You have Mom, me, Kya, Bumi, Aunt Toph, Uncle Sokka...all of us are here for you."

"Really?" he asked timidly.

"Yeah. And you know what? If I hadn't had their help, I never would have been able to end the war."

Tenzin gaped at him. "Really? You needed help?"

"Of course! I was just one kid, after all."

"But you saved the world!"

"True, but I needed a lot of help to do it. Even the strongest people need help sometimes."

Tenzin gave him a small smile. "Even the Avatar?"

Aang laughed. "Yes, even the Avatar."

They both sat in silence for a minute. Tenzin was deep in thought, and Aang was content to wait him out.

Finally, Tenzin turned to him. "Dad?"

Aang smiled at him. "Yeah?"

Tenzin wrapped his arms around him. "Thank you. For everything."

Aang hugged him back. "You're welcome. Will you promise me something?"

"Okay. What?"

"Promise me that you'll always remember that we're here for you, no matter what."

"Yeah, I promise." he sighed. He didn't want to move; he was perfectly content to stay here in his father's embrace. He hadn't had a moment like this with his father in a long time.

Aang was enjoying it as much as Tenzin was. His son didn't open up to him like this often, so that made the moment all the more precious.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Aang squeezed him a little tighter."I love you, too."

After holding him for a moment, he pulled back.

"Now, you have a mom and two siblings that are worried about you. I think it's time to go see them."

Tenzin nodded. Aang set him down and, together, they left the room and went downstairs into the family room, where they found Katara, Bumi, and Kya. Kya was cuddling into her mother, who was holding her close with one arm. Her other arm was around Bumi, who was sitting on her other side. The kids both had sad expressions on their faces. Katara's expression was sad, but showed a deeper pain.

Tenzin, heartbroken at their expressions, walked quickly to his mother, crawled into her lap, and hugged her.

Katara, a bit surprised, hugged him back.

"Mom, I'm sorry." he whispered. Katara, unable to respond, just held him close. Over his head, she saw her husband smile at her. She smiled back.

Tenzin pulled back and looked at his siblings. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't think of anything, so he closed it. Kya stared at him skeptically for a moment before she grinned and dove onto her mother's lap and wrestled her brother into a big hug. Katara reached out and grabbed her kids' clothes to prevent them from tumbling off her lap.

Tenzin grunted in surprise at his sister's attack. He smiled at her sheepishly. She grinned back, and released him. Tenzin turned and looked at his brother. He was still a little surprised at the tender, protective nature Bumi had showed him. Now, though, he didn't know if it was still there. As if answering his silent question, Bumi shot him a mischievous grin, and, so fast that Tenzin was unable to get away, he grabbed him, and pulled him off Katara's lap and tackled him to the floor. Bumi got him in a headlock and rubbed his bald head with his fist. For once, instead of fighting it, Tenzin stayed put, content. He knew that this was his brother's way of showing expression.

Everyone laughed at the scene on the floor. Aang and Katara exchanged relieved glances. Their son was finally okay.

As Tenzin looked around at each of his family members, affection overwhelmed him. Sure, his brother was rather strange, his sister could be bossy, his mother worried too much, and his father seemed to goof around a lot, even though he was the Avatar, but they were still his family. They would always be the ones to have his back. They would love him no matter what.

Tenzin smiled happily, and, instead of running off to his room, decided to stay with the ones he loved most.

**Well, that's it for this part. I'm planning on continuing it, but when Tenzin's a little older.**

**So, if you want to give me some feedback or suggestions/ideas on what to put in the next part, let me know.**

**Thank you.**


	7. Chapter 7

A light knock on his door pulled Tenzin out of his sleep. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, then stared around the room drowsily.

The knock sounded once more, and the door opened. The Avatar stepped in, a bright smile on his face.

"Are you up?"

"Huh," Tenzin grumbled.

Aang grinned at his son's sleepiness, and clapped his hands together.

"Alright, today, we have a special Air Nomad tradition to carry out. Might I add that this hasn't been done in over a hundred years."

Tenzin perked up a little. "What tradition?"

Aang grinned at him. "You'll see. Now, get dressed and meet me outside. Oh, and bring an apple."

Aang smiled at him one more time, then left, firmly shutting the door behind him.

Tenzin stared at the door in confusion, a slight frown on his face. What Air Nomad tradition needed an apple? He then shrugged, crawled out of bed, and got dressed.

He stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen. He crawled up onto the table and grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit sitting in the center. He also grabbed a plum, popped it in his mouth, and then made his way outside.

He met his dad outside the door, and together they started walking to the stables.

"Why are we going to the stables?"

"That's where this tradition takes place."

Tenzin sighed. "Really, Dad, what tradition involves an apple and the bison stables?"

Aang gave him his normal crooked grin and clamped his hand on Tenzin's shoulder.

"Patience is a virtue, my son. You will know soon enough."

When they reached the stables, Aang led Tenzin to a dark corner. There they found Appa, a female bison, and three bison calves. Appa groaned and stood up. Aang grinned and went over to his life-long friend, putting his hand on Appa's brown arrow.

"Tenzin, a sky bison is your companion for life. Appa has been with me since I was six years old." He patted Appa's head, then turned to Tenzin and crouched down in front of him. "Now, it's your time to pick yours."

Aang stood straight and gently nudged Tenzin forward. Tenzin gulped and approached the three calves timidly.

All three turned to look at him with big eyes. Two of them got up and made their way up to him. They sniffed him and chewed on his clothes. Soon, though, when Tenzin didn't respond, they moved on.

Tenzin looked over by Appa, where the third calf was sitting. It stared at him calmly, in no way eager to join its siblings' antics. Just like me, Tenzin thought.

He carefully made his way over and held out the apple he had in his hand. The young calf sniffed at it, then took it delicately in its mouth and ate it. Tenzin reached out and touched the baby bison's head. It stared at him with kind eyes for a moment, before it came closer and nestled its head into his chest. The baby bison licked his faced, leaving it wet and sticky. Tenzin giggled as he held the bison's big head. He knew just the name to give him.

"Oogi." he whispered and giggled again, petting his new best friend softly.


	8. Chapter 8

It was late evening when Appa finally landed on Air Temple Island. With a tired sigh, eight-year-old Tenzin airbent himself to the ground. They had flown for hours, so it felt nice to be on solid ground again.

Tenzin started towards the house, his father close behind. When he opened the door, the smell of dinner teased his nose, making his mouth water. His mother looked up at them.

"Oh, good. You're home. Tenzin, go on and wash up. I need to talk to your dad for a minute."

Tenzin nodded and walked to the bathroom. He turned on the water and stared at himself in the mirror. He was covered head to toe in dust, his clothes were ragged, and he looked exhausted; he needed a change of clothes, a good meal, and a good night sleep.

He cleaned himself up, then went into his room to change. He pulled a fresh set of robes on, then returned to the kitchen, where the rest of his family was already seated.

He took the remaining seat, and once he was situated, his father gave a blessing on the food. Afterwards, they ate in silence. Tenzin noticed that, while all this was happening, his two older siblings never once looked at him or showed any sign that they knew he was there.

"So," his mother said, breaking the silence. "How was it? Did you learn a lot?"

"Yeah," he said, giving her a weak smile."The temple was great. I can't believe Dad grew up there."

Bumi snorted slightly, exchanging a smirk with Kya. Katara frowned.

"What's so funny?" she said, putting her fork down.

Bumi shook his head. "Nothing."

Katara continued to glare at them, arms folded across her chest. Aang gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Katara, I'm sure it's nothing."

She continued to stare at them, but she visibly relaxed. "Fine."

The meal continued on in silence until the end. As soon as they were excused, Kya and Bumi ran upstairs and locked themselves in Bumi's room. Tenzin followed at a slower place, heading toward his own room. When he passed the door to Bumi's room, he heard his name. He stopped and pressed his ear to the door, listening intently. He couldn't make sense of what they were saying, so he shrugged it off and went into his room. He found his staff and grabbed it, then left his room, shutting the door behind him. He didn't stop at Bumi's door on the way out, though he still heard plenty of whispering. He just continued walking until he was outside.

He took a deep breath of the cool night air, snapped his glider open, and took off. As he glided through the air, a small smile appeared on his face. Not much could thrill the boy, but flying could do just that. He felt connected with the element.

Tenzin flew up to the top of the air temple and landed on an edge. He sank to a sitting position, placing his staff beside him. From his position, he could see the city, and Yue Bay stretched out before him. His gaze settled on his father's statue, standing proudly on a small island.

As he stared at the statue, he couldn't help but compare his father to himself. His father, who saved the world from the wrath of Fire Lord Ozai. His father, master of all four elements, the man who was bringing back the Air Nomad Traditions. His father was a hero; but what was he?

Tenzin yawned, cutting the thought off. He then flew down to the stables, seeking comfort from his best friend.

He found Oogi fast asleep, curled up with the other bison calves for warmth. The two year old bison was not the tiny calf he once was. He was bigger now, right in between the size of a calf and a full grown bison. Tenzin could barely climb on him without using airbending.

He walked up to his bison and set his hand on Oogi's head.

"Oogi? Wake up."

The bison grunted but didn't open his eyes.

"Hey, wake up." Tenzin rubbed the bison's head roughly.

Oogi opened one eye and stared at him briefly. He then lifted his head and yawned.

Tenzin smiled. "Hey, Pal. Would you mind having some company?"

Oogi grunted and licked his owner.

Tenzin smiled.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He sat down by his bison and leaned against his shoulder, Oogi's soft fur tickling his face. He watched the moon rise over the city, and before he could stop himself, was fast asleep.

Oogi stared at his young master softly, and then he too laid his head down and went to sleep.

The next morning, Aang walked to the stables, whistling "Secret Tunnel" with Momo perched on his shoulder with a peach. He walked in and immediately headed towards Appa, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glance of red and yellow. He whipped his head back around and stared at the scene before him for a moment before a smile appeared on his face.

There in front of him, he saw his youngest son curled up with his bison, covered in hay, and fast asleep. Aang chuckled softly, shaking his head, as memories were brought to the surface of his mind.

He continued forward until he was next to his own bison. Appa woke up when he heard him approach and opened his eyes. Seeing it was his master, he licked the Avatar happily, and pulled himself to his feet with a low groan.

"Hush, Buddy!" Aang whispered, gesturing to Tenzin and Oogi in the corner. "You'll wake them up!"

Appa stared at them for a moment, then nudged Aang forward.

Aang grinned. "I know, I know. We gotta go."

He led his bison out and got everything loaded. Then he went in to say goodbye to his wife.

"Hey," he said when he walked in. "I'm leaving."

"Okay," she said, turning from the food she was preparing to face him. He pulled her into a hug and gave her a kiss. She smiled up at him.

"I'll see you later. Good luck."

He smiled back. "Thanks. Love you."

"Love you, too." she said, turning back to her work.

When Aang got to the door, he paused.

"Oh, Katara?"

"Yeah?"

"Just so you know, Tenzin's out with Oogi."

She paused, turning to stare at him. "This early? Why?"

"I think he spent the night out there."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so if-when-he comes in covered with hay, dirt, and bison hair, take it easy on him. I remember doing the same thing with Appa."

She rolled her eyes at the last statement. "Why am I not surprised?"

He just grinned back. "Hey, we had the best sleepovers ever!"

"Why in the world did the monks let you do that?"

"They didn't know."

"Of course they didn't."

Aang just laughed at her disgruntled expression.

"Okay, I've really gotta go. See you tonight."

"Bye."


	9. Chapter 9

When a beam of sunlight landed on his face, Tenzin groaned, frowning. He opened his eyes slightly, then quickly squeezed them shut to block out the sun's rays. He brought up his hands and rubbed his eyes for a moment. Then he stretched and yawned. He leaned forward and looked around groggily. It took him a moment, but he finally realized he wasn't in his room. He frowned for a second, trying to recall the events of last night. The memories flowed back into his mind, and he pulled himself onto his feet with a sigh. He stretched, and walked towards the house.

When he walked, he was greeted by the warm aroma of breakfast cooking, and his stomach snarled in hunger.

Katara looked up from her cooking. "Well, good morning! How was your sleepover with Oogi?"

Tenzin blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Er, good, I guess."

Katara giggled at his expression. "Alright, go clean up. Just because bison were the original Airbenders doesn't mean you have to smell like one."

Tenzin smiled at her sheepishly and went upstairs to clean up. He changed his clothes and went into the bathroom to wash his face. When he opened the door, he was greeted by his two older siblings standing shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed, glaring at him.

"Well, well, well! Look who decided to crawl out of the cave!" Bumi said, Kya snickering beside him. Tenzin glared at them slightly, but was caught off guard when Bumi grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up, slamming him against the wall. Tenzin shot a pleading glance to Kya, who usually intervened when Bumi got too rough; but he saw no sympathy in his older sister's blue eyes.

"Listen up, Air Head." Bumi sneered. "I know you're thinking you're pretty hot stuff, what with the whole 'going on a special trip with Dad' nonsense. You may be one of the two airbenders in existence, but really, you're just the spoiled baby of the family. Remember where you stand."

Bumi then shoved him against the wall and released him. Tenzin fell to the floor with a thump. Kya and Bumi left, leaving him alone.

This would mark the beginning of the rift that would grow between the three siblings.


	10. Chapter 10

The tension between the three siblings was so thick you could cut it with a knife, so it wasn't long before the ever-vigilant Katara noticed something was up. She didn't say much, but she was saddened by the rift growing between her children. It wasn't so long ago when they played together as siblings should. Now, though, it was fading away.

Over the next couple of years, she kept her distance, hoping that they would work it out themselves; they were, after all, getting a little too old to be having Mommy fix their every problem. That doesn't mean she never tried to figure out what exactly their problem was, because she did. However, every time she asked, she was met with avoidant gazes and "nothing" or "I don't know".

One day, however, she learned just how serious the situation had grown. She was in the kitchen, preparing dinner, when she heard scuffling and shouting drift in through the window. She peered out to see her two sons fighting on the ground, while Kya stood to the side, occasionally slipping in her own blow. Katara gasped and dropped the food in her hand, then ran out the door and over to them.

"Enough!" She yelled angrily, storming over. She sucked in a breath when she saw Tenzin's bloody state and began to panic.

"Stop it!" She screamed and grabbed the back of Bumi's shirt and threw him off of his brother. She crouched down beside her youngest and took his hand. She was crying at this point, but she was anything but distracted.

"Tenzin? Can you hear me?"

He rolled his head towards her and she couldn't help but gasp. Tenzin's face was cut up and bloody, and she could see bruises beginning to form.

"Mom?" He whimpered and squinted up at her.

"Yeah, it's me, honey."

"Mom...it hurts." Tears began to leak out of the ten-year-old's eyes, leaving a trail through the blood and dust.

"Oh, boo hoo!" Bumi shouted from behind her. She turned to him and sent him a deadly glare.

"Bumi. That's enough." She said in a deadly calm.

"Why?" Kya sassed back, folding her arms and glaring at her mother. "He deserved all of it."

"Kya." she growled. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath." Just go. Now. Both of you."

When they didn't respond, she grit her teeth. "Now!" She yelled. They both glared at her, but got up and left, walking slowly back to the house.

With a sigh, she turned back to her son.

"Tenzin," she said softly to regain his attention. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

She held up three fingers, and he stared at her hand for a second before answering. "Three?"

She nodded. "Can you count to ten for me?"

He did so, a little slowly, but he didn't miss any numbers.

She breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He hadn't sustained any serious head injury; from what she could tell, most of the damage was on the surface, and that was easy to heal.

She bent the water out of her flask and let it coat her hands. Then she very gently laid her hands on his wounds, healing him. When she was done, she examined him, and found that the healing had done its job. The only evidence of the fight was the dirt and dried blood on his robes.

Katara helped the healed but exhausted boy up onto his feet and slung his arm around her shoulder. They slowly trekked over to the house and inside. She walked him over to the couch and helped him lay down. When she was sure he was comfortable, she walked into the kitchen. She sat down at the table and buried her face in her hands. She let out a strangled sob. What was happening to her family?


End file.
